WPIAL Class 5A football final primer: Gateway vs. Peters Township
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Friday, November 22, 2019 | 4:47 PM
WPIAL Class 5A championship
No. 2 Gateway (11-2) vs. No. 5 Peters Township (12-1)
6 p.m. Saturday, Norwin Knights Stadium
On the air: TribHSSN.triblive.com; 95.3 FM
Coaches: Don Holl, Gateway; T.J. Plack, Peters Township
Winner plays: The winner of District 12 champion Archbishop Wood (9-3) in the PIAA semifinals Nov. 29-30.
WPIAL titles: Gateway 6 (1969, ‘72, ‘74, ‘85, ‘86, 2017); Peters Township 0
Gateway
Player to watch
Derrick Davis
Junior, 6-1, 190, RB/LB
One of the nation’s top prospects, Davis has rushed for nearly 1,500 yards and scored 30 touchdowns this season. The four-start prospect has offers from Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Pitt, among others.
Statistical leaders
Passing: Bryson Venanzio, 161-270, 2,375 yards, 26 TDs, 7 INTs
Rushing: Derrick Davis, 165-1,420 yards, 30 TDs; Venanzio, 96-214 yards, 1 TD
Receiving: Davis, 36-547 yards, 30 TDs; Tui Faumuina-Brown, 34-494 yards, 6 TDs
How they got here
Regular season
46 Mt. Lebanon 20
7 at Penn-Trafford 28
44 Plum 0
49 at Latrobe 0
49 Ringgold 0
40 at North Hills 7
31 Franklin Regional 0
12 at Massillon, Ohio 48
48 Connellsville 7
36 at McKeesport 7
WPIAL playoffs
35 Shaler 21
17 Bethel Park 13
14 McKeesport 7
Probable starting lineup
Offense
RB, 8, Derrick Davis, 6-1, 190, Jr.
QB, 13, Bryson Venanzio, 5-10, 180, Sr.
WR, 4, Patrick Body, 6-1, 175, So.
WR, 5, Jayden Hurt, 6-1, 180, Jr.
WR, 9 Chamor Price, 6-1, 175, Jr.
TE, 15, Tui Faumuina-Brown, 6-3, 215, Sr.
OT, 55 Jacques Taylor, 6-1, 240, Jr.
OG, Kelvon Nelson, 6-0, 225, Jr.
C, 72, Patrick Bauman, 6-0, 278, Jr.
OG, 71, Dom Pascarella, 6-2, 245, Jr.
OT, 70, Pete Zlokas, 6-3, 271, Sr.
K, 22, Jayson Jenkins, 5-7, 150, Jr.
Defense
DE, 55, Jacques Taylor, 6-1, 240, Jr.
DT, 54, Kelvon Nelson, 6-0, 225, Jr.
DE, 52, James McClinton, 5-10, 225, Sr.
OLB, 15, Tui Faumuina-Brown, 6-3, 215, Sr.
ILB, 10, Jordan Stancovich, 5-10, 205, Sr.
ILB, 37, Jay Johnson, 5-11, 210, Sr.
OLB, 8, Derrick Davis, 6-1, 190, Jr.
CB, 3, Sonny Comunale, 5-11, 177, Sr.
CB, 2, Shayne Thrift, 6-0, 170, Jr.
S, 11, Zach Smith, 5-10, 160, Sr.
P, 22, Jayson Jenkins, 5-7, 150, Jr.
Peters Township
Player to watch
Ryan Magiske
Senior, 5-10, 190, RB/S
Magiske has run for nearly 1,300 yards and carried the ball more than 200 times in helping Peters Township reach the WPIAL championship game.
Statistical leaders
Passing: Logan Pfeuffer, 136-213, 2,121 yards, 24 TDs, 3 INTs
Rushing: Ryan Magiske, 214-1,276 yards, 17 TDs; Josh Casilli, 29-333 yards, 22 TDs
Receiving: Casilli, 47-562 yards, 22 TDs; Aidan McCall, 24-364 yards, 6 TDs
How they got here
Regular season
45 Fox Chapel 0
29 Upper St. Clair 21
26 at Woodland Hills 0
23 West Allegheny 7
38 North Hills 14
35 at Canon-McMillan 3
13 at Moon 21
43 Chartiers Valley 14
30 at Bethel Park 7
38 at Baldwin 0
WPIAL playoffs
47 Mars 6
33 Moon 7
28 Penn-Trafford 10
Probable starting lineup
Offense
QB, 8, Logan Pfeuffer, 6-1, 170, jr.
RB, 35, Ryan Magiske, 5-10, 190, sr.
WR, 5, Josh Casilli, 6-1, 185, sr.
WR, 19, Breylen Carrington, 5-10, 165, jr.
WR, 3, Donovan McMillon, 6-1, 180, jr.
TE, 10, Corban Hondru, 6-1, 230, jr.
T, 54, David DiCio, 5-11, 250, jr.
G, 63, Dylan Wente, 5-10, 240, jr.
C, 65, Zach Magnotti, 5-10, 215, sr.
G, 55, Ethan Spangenberg, 5-11, 220, jr.
T, 50, Austin McKinnon, 6-0, 240, jr.
K, 17, Andrew Massucci, 5-10, 170, so.
Defense
DL, 50, Austin McKinnon, 6-0, 240, jr.
DL, 65, Zach Magnotti, 5-10, 215, sr.
DL, 55, Ethan Spangenberg, 5-11, 220, jr.
SLB, 7, Nico Pate, 6-0, 180, so.
WLB, 28, Reed Scott, 5-11, 190, sr.
MLB, 10, Corban Hondru, 6-1, 230, jr.
CB, 5, Josh Casilli, 6-1, 185, sr.
CB, 2, Aidan McCall, 5-9, 165, sr.
S, 20, Adrian Williams, 5-9, 175, sr.
S, 35, Ryan Magiske, 5-10, 190, sr.
S, 3, Donovan McMillon, 6-1, 180, jr.
P, 10, Corban Hondru, 6-1, 230, jr.
Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.
Tags: Gateway, Peters Township
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